Saturday, 31 December 2011

Everyone seems to have made one of these posts, so I thought it only right that I put in my two pennies too!!

On a completely family level this year has SUCKED!! Big time, everything that could go wrong seemed too. I know it sounds bad but I have literally been wishing this year away. I'm living in the very big hopes that 2012 will be far kinder to us than 2011 was.

BUT on a blogging front this year has been pretty darn amazing. I never in a million years thought anyone would want to know my views on anything, let alone books. And yet somehow I have been embraced by the wonderful blogging community and I feel so lucky to have found you all - seriously you have made my life so much more, and I am so grateful to each and everyone of you!!!!

Thursday, 22 December 2011

"A story of secrets, lies and lost innocence. MADRAS, 1910: Posey Swift and Tilly Sweetrick are caught up in a scandal that will change their lives forever. Singing and Dancing across a hundred stages as members of a troupe of Australian child performers, they travel by steam train into the heart of India. But as one disaster follows another, money runs short and tempers fray. What must the girls do to protect themselves, and how many lives will be ruined if they try to break free?"

I was drawn to this by the blurb. I'm kind of fascinated by the idea of historic themed books, especially with a theatrical plot. I adored Ballet shoes and have been searching for another on those lines for a long time. Now this story is very different to Ballet Shoes and so my comparisons to that ended pretty quickly.

For starters I want to say I love the page settings of this book. The edition I had, starts with a program style page listing all the characters and their ages. Its such an eye catching way to start and is also really helpful with trying to get to know the characters of which there are A LOT in this book.

You read from the perspectives of two characters - Poesy & Tilly. Two quite different characters, that see things quite differently. I did sometimes wonder who narrated things in the correct way, but I think it becomes more evident as the book concludes.

The book deals with Children being away from parents under the supervision of someone that to be honest is not up to the job. You quickly get to read the losing of innocence the children have that is rather disturbing. I felt a great sadness for the characters, particularly Poesy.

The story builds its suspense nicely. I kept wondering how it was going to play out. The book ties up nicely with an absolute resolution, that I was very satisfied with.

The only thing with the story that made me curious was that it sounds like some electrical things were used, that I wouldn't have thought would have been used back in 1910. I of course am probably very wrong, I'm definitely no encyclopedia on all things. I really need to look into it more now.

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Daylight Saving By Edward Hogan
Published In The UK By Walker Books
Due For Release February 2012
Amazon LINK
GoodReads LINK

"This is a brilliant thriller ghost story by a new name in teenage fiction. When Daniel Lever is dragged to Leisure World Holiday Complex for some "time away" with his depressed dad, his expectations are low. Daniel is overweight, he hates sport, and his father has brought along his beloved tomato plant. But soon Daniel spots a girl swimming in the fake lake. Lexi is elegant and smart, but very mysterious. Why are her bruises getting worse each time she and Daniel meet? And is her watch really ticking backwards? A dark figure stalks the pair, and as British summer time approaches, Daniel has to act quickly. Their souls depend on it."

I heard about the this from the author himself at Walker Books Christmas event. It sounds very unique and fresh, I can't wait to read it!!!

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Now this is tragic - I have kind of been told that I'm not getting many books for Christmas, I'm so sad! I do sort of understand as I have a hell of a lot of books, but more are always appreciated!!! Here's what I would love to get though....

1. Variant By Robison Wells
This sounds so scary but major exciting

2. A Discovery Of Witches By Deborah Harkness
I've been told this is a adult mix of Twilight and Harry Potter - that sounds very me!!

3. Revolution By Jennifer Donnelly
Another one I have been told great stuff about, I would LOVE this

4. Between By Jessica Warman
I have a fair amount of book lust for this. I always ogle it in book shops.

5. The Woman In Black By Susan Hill
I know this has been out a while, but I hear this is quite a chiller and I'm eager to be chilled (in book form of course!!)

6. Mist By Kathryn James
This is super shiny and awesome looking - plus it sounds pretty cool too

7. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs
I've been dying to get this for ages - looks like I'll have to wait a while longer

8. Eyes Like Stars By Lisa Mantchev
I've been longing for this for ages too, it sounds amazing!!

9. Eve By Anna Carey
This sounds fantastic - I need it in my life

10. The Near Witch By Victoria Schwab
I've heard many great things about this and Victoria is so lovely - I must get this ASAP!!

I hope Santa brings you all what you dearly wish for!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Monday, 19 December 2011

Super Duper exciting news for fans of Lauren Oliver today. Just in time for Christmas a short story linked to the Delirum series has been released on eBook - YAY!!! It'll cost you just 99p and is called 'Hana' This story is centred around Lena's best friend, who just happens to have a few secrets of her own. You can read more about this exciting story HERE

Now I know that you guys are probably just as desperate as me to buy this right NOW, but the people from Hodder have had this brilliant idea. If we could all wait till Christmas eve to buy it, we may just be able to give Lauren the best present ever in an eBook at number 1 for Christmas. I think I can hold off - how about you???

I already have a couple of editions of this to be honest, but this one is just a bit special as it has my name printed in the back as one of the early facebook fans! Its the first time my name has been in print, so I HAD to buy it!!! Its gorgeous too!!

Friday, 16 December 2011

"A forbidden romance.A deadly plague.Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.
Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget."

I heard about this recently and was instantly excited by the idea of it. All girls grow up hearing the fairy tales of Cinderella, Snow White, etc. We all know the stories so well, so finding out that the story is being retold but with a futuristic twist is beyond exciting!! I wasn't sure when I was going to get the opportunity to read this, but looked through the UK Book Tours blog and found they were touring a copy - OMG I had to get on board with that and literally JUST finished reading it!!

The UK cover is still undecided I believe, but this cover seems to be the only one on show. I really do hope it is picked as the UK cover as it pretty much is perfect. It tells you exactly what you need to know about the book and is a great opener to the story.

I must admit when I started to read this, although I was really excited by it, I wasn't that keen. It just felt too strange having the mix of fairytale and sci-fi. But I was determined to carry on and I'm so glad I did, as I enjoyed it more and more.

I was a little concerned at the beginning of the story that this would go exactly on the same lines as the original fairytale, meaning that there would be no surprises. Once again I am thrilled to say my concerns were unwarranted. You don't lose any of the wonderfulness of 'Cinderella' but just get a whole load of new and fantastic parts that actually fit in with the original premise. For me it just made this tale completely fresh.

You are left with somewhat of a cliffhanger, again this is really exciting. I'm so eager to read what is going to develop, but also how the tales of Red Riding Hood, Snow White & Rapunzel are going to be woven in.

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

The Future Of Us By Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Published In The UK By Simon & Schuster
Due For Release 5th January 2012
Amazon LINK

"It's 1996 and very few high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented until several years in the future. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD. She and her best friend Josh power it up and log on - and discover themselves on Facebook in 2011. Everybody wonders what they'll be like fifteen years in the future. Josh and Emma are about to find out"

I heard about this one recently and am so intrigued by the set up. Its already got me thinking what I would have done if 12 year old me could have been reading facebook & what she'd think. I guess the next best thing to finding out about yourself would be to find out about others in a book - and YAY we're given just that!!! Cannot wait to read this!!

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Although I have tried my hardest this is a follow up book and some spoilers are possible

"In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart." I was sent this a few weeks ago from Walker Books. I cannot express to you the excitedness I felt at seeing it. I ADORE Cassie's writing & Clockwork Angel has to be one of my favourite books, making this one of my most anticipated reads of 2011. She did not let me down one little bit.

The cover is amazing. Keeping within theme of the other book. I really like how different characters are getting the special limelight. This cover features the wonderful Jem - When I first saw it, I felt his head looked a little super imposed but on seeing the final book, its just gorgeous.

This picks up near to where we left off which is always fantastic in my opinion. I hate when you are left feeling a chunk of the story has been cut out. Not the case with this one!!

Having just a few months ago read City of Fallen Angels, which is the same world as Clockwork Angel / Prince, but separated by well over 100 years, there are certain aspects that you can see do not change. Like the Clave. They seem to try and get things right, yet always have someone that wants to stir things up. Kind of made me think of the governments today.

I love how Tessa has these wonderful self conscious traits. Something that seems to be a timeless trait & something that is very relate able today.

From reading it is so evident how much research Cassie put into the setting of the book. I could so picture how she portrays London in the book, especially in this historic era. Everything felt extremely accurate! I think we should crown Cassie an honorary Brit!!!

One character I'd never really thought of before but have ended up loving is Sophie. Her development has been amazing. She is funny and quite feisty at times. I hope her character continues to grow in the next instalment.

I'm still completely torn on the love triangle of Tessa, Jem & Will. I would both love and hate to be Tessa. It would be great to have these two guys battling for your heart, but torture to just pick one!! I think I will stick to my Team Lover Of All, status for now. Although I do feel I know where Tessa's heart truly lies!!

This book is action packed like its predecessor. Still bringing out some great shocks. It concludes with an awesome climax, that once again left me thinking WHAT NEXT??

I read the UK Collectors edition of the book, which also contains a letter wrote by Will and a short story from Jem's Point Of View. Both were brilliant additions, that just give you a little more insight into the characters and their thinking. Definitely worth getting this version if you can!!!

"Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams..."

I heard a fair bit about this, this weekend at Simon & Schuster bloggers event and it sounds incredible. It sounds very creepy and haunting - just my style!!

Sadly no cover art has been released yet, but as soon as it is I shall be posting it here!!!

Monday, 5 December 2011

Back on the 23rd NovemberAtom books held an event for bloggers, to introduce them to their upcoming books for 2012. Imagine my shock when they sent me, yes ME an invite!! I nearly bit their arm off with excitement. Hell Yeah did I want to go. I really do thank Atom for re-invigorating my love of books with the help of Stephenie Meyer.

I started my day off by meeting my regular partner in crime Laura from SisterSpooky: Book Fangirl. We got a little bit of christmas shopping in first & by Christmas shopping I mean buying things for myself - whoops!!! I did find a Northanger Abbey comic though!!!

Eventually we made our way to the destination, but far too early so we got to have a well earned Starbucks with our third amigo Andy from The Pewter Wolf. Laura and I had been having excited fits throughout the day where we would just do a happy dance that we were going to Atom. This just got worse once meeting up with Andy. Atom really didn't know what they were getting themselves into by inviting the 3 of us together, once again I am SO SORRY :D
We were then joined by the lovely Clover fromFluttering Butterflies. It was the first chance I had to meet her, so my excitability probably made me look rather strange!!

We waited as long as we could contain ourselves to go over to the offices. We tried to look kind of cool, but that was never going to happen. We walked into the building which is gorgeous and I let out a loud squeal at seeing the Little Brown sign - Not cool Leanne!!!

Atom guys giving their presentation

We made it up to the office which was already fairly full of bloggers - obviously we weren't the only excited ones!!! My jaw hit the floor at seeing an array of Atom's YA books all over the tables. I was in book heaven & even got to take a couple that I didn't have. That was like Christmas day for me alone!!

We got name badges as we got there, as they were going for a back to school theme. There were some school style nibbles that were YUM!! But not so school style was the delicious wine they had, it was gorgeous. Sadly I had to limit myself to one glass as I am not a big drinker and that one glass went straight to my head. I didn't want to go and make a bigger fool of myself than what I could easily do without any alcohol!!

We were then taking through to the meeting room, where they had placed a folders for all of us to check the new books that were to come. We took to our seats and were first shown a couple of book trailers and then a cool PowerPoint presentation on all the books. Here's whats to come......

Night School By C.J.Daugherty"When everyone is lying, who can you trust? Allie Sheridan's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested. Again. This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers. But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch. When Allie is attacked one night the school begins to seem like a very dangerous place, Allie must learn who she can trust. And what's really going on at Cimmeria Academy"
We were lucky to meet Christi there!! She told us a bit more about the book and how she got her idea. I'm so excited for it!!

Trapped By Micheal Northrop"The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive . . . Scotty and his friends are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision . . ."
This sounds rather chilling and yet oh so intriging. Looking forward to giving this a go

The Book Of Blood & Shadow By Robin Wasserman"It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn't speak. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also-according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone-a murderer. Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora's determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris's murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life."
How cool does that sound?? This has been described as The Da Vinci Code meets Die For Me - what an awesome combination, very eager to read this one!!

Under The Never Sky By Veronica Rossi"Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.
As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.
They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY" We ALL Ohhh'd when this one came up. I'm mega excited for it, just as everyone else seems to be. I need to read this NOW!!!

Bunheads By Sophie Flack"On-stage beauty. Backstage drama. As a dancer with the ultra-prestigious Manhattan Ballet Company, nineteen-year-old Hannah Ward juggles intense rehearsals, dazzling performances and complicated backstage relationships. Up until now, Hannah has happily devoted her entire life to ballet. But when she meets a handsome musician named Jacob, Hannah's universe begins to change and she must decide if she wants to compete against the other 'bunheads' in the company for a star soloist spot or strike out on her own in the real world. Does she dare give up the gilded confines of the ballet for the freedoms of everyday life?"
I've never really read anything set in the dance area so this will be a very different read for me. Sounds rather awesome though!

172 Hours On The Moon By Johan Harstad"Three teenagers are going on the trip of a lifetime. Only one is coming back. It's been more than forty years since NASA sent the first men to the moon, and to grab some much-needed funding and attention, they decide to launch an historic international lottery in which three lucky teenagers can win a week-long trip to moon base DARLAH 2-a place that no one but top government officials even knew existed until now. The three winners, Antoine, Midori, and Mia, come from all over the world. But just before the scheduled launch, the teenagers each experience strange, inexplicable events. Little do they know that there was a reason NASA never sent anyone back there until now-a sinister reason. But the countdown has already begun. . ."
Once again this is a different read for me, but I was instantly captivated by the sounds of it. I have very high hopes for this one!!

Adorkable By Sarra Manning "Jeane Smith is seventeen and has turned her self-styled dorkiness into an art form, a lifestyle choice and a profitable website and consultancy business. She writes a style column for a Japanese teen magazine and came number seven in The Guardian's 30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing The World. And yet, in spite of the accolades, hundreds of Internet friendships and a cool boyfriend, she feels inexplicably lonely, a situation made infinitely worse when Michael Lee, the most mass-market, popular and predictably all-rounded boy at school tells Jeane of his suspicion that Jeane's boyfriend is secretly seeing his girlfriend. Michael and Jeane have NOTHING in common - she is cool and individual; he is the golden boy in an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt. So why can't she stop talking to him?"
Again Atom brought in the lovely Sarra to tell us more about her upcoming book. This has a great sound to it. I love all things dorky, so am thrilled by the sounds of Adorkable

8 - 12 years books

The Witch Of Turlingham Academy By Ellie Boswell"It's not easy being the only day girl at Turlingham boarding school: Sophie misses out on all the midnight feasts and late night gossip. Things take a turn for the worse when a new girl - Katy - shows up and all Sophie hears is Katy, Katy, Katy from her friends. It's like she's put a spell on everyone. Katy's no witch, but there is a witch at Turlingham. Katy comes from a long line of witch hunters whose fate is to stop evil magic once and for all. Sophie is going to help her - anything to get Katy out of her life and get things back to normal. But what she finds out means nothing will ever be normal again!"
This is kind of Worst Witch sounding, which I think is quite exciting. There is also a hint of Enid Blyton to them, which sounds fab!!

Creepover By P J Night"During a round of Truth or Dare, Abby Miller confesses her crush on Jake Chilson. The only people who know her secret are her friends at the sleepover - and whoever sent her a text message in the middle of the night warning her to stay away from Jake...or else! But Abby isn't going to stay away from Jake, especially not after he asks her to the school dance. As the night of the dance comes closer, some very creepy things start happening to Abby. Someone definitely wants to keep her away from Jake. Is it a jealous classmate or, as Abby begins to suspect, could it be a ghost?"
These are Ghostbumps sounding but aimed more at girls - hooray!! Girls like a bit of a scare too sometimes!! There are a few titles to come in the new year - worth a check out I think!

Goddess Girls Series By Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

"Athena The Brain: Athena has always been above average. She has never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact.
When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history: Medusa!"This sounds a fab series. Telling a modernised tale of how the greek goddesses got their powers and made it to their future destinations. Sounds like a really cute, fun new take!!

After the amazing presentation we were led back out to the main meeting room, where we were each given a House of Night tote bag that had more goodies inside. We all got copies of Night School, Trapped, 172 Hours On The Moon & The Witch Of Turlingham Academy. More sqeauling occured I am afraid to say. I just get so excited by books!!

We went back to mingling and major geeking out about the books we love. Christi came over and we had a really fun chat with her about our love of caffine - we are all self confessed addicts!!!
Christi kindly signed our books - she said it was her first time signing things for fans so we were all thrilled to be her firsts.

We had a bit more chatting and basic excitedness and then sadly had to make our way home, but not before the Atom guys took this awesome picture of some of us bloggers - Awwww!!!

Many Thanks to everyone at Atom for making this such a special evening for us all!!

Friday, 2 December 2011

"17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. After a mugging exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. In a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them..."

I very luckily won this a while back, but I must admit I hadn't heard too much about it before I got it. I thought the blurb sounded pretty cool and so I decided to join this book world for a while!!

The cover is pretty eye catching. I don't think it tells you what kind of genre it is just by looking at it and so maybe will have greater appeal to more people. Once you actually read the book, you can see how the cover fits in.

The book kicks off with a huge revelation and then goes on to tell you all the back story you need to know in the first chapter or so. I found this a fantastic way to get you in their world and let you know all the details you need to.

I have to say the story felt somewhat disjointed for me to begin with though. There were certain parts of the story that just didn't work out right & also a big mixture of different style stories in one that confused me. I can very happily say though that everything rightens itself and makes so much more sense by the end.

I did find Lila's character quite frustrating and annoying at times, but I have to admit I would act much the same as she does, so maybe she was just a little too like me?!

Now the love interest in this - OMG so dreamy!!! I so wish my brother had a best friend like the gorgeous Alex. But sadly no such luck, so I'm gonna have to carry on borrowing Alex for the time being. He really is a dreamboat and I really want to see what more can happen with him & Lila.

The book concludes rather dramatically. It seriously had my heart pounding and just leaves me thinking WHAT NEXT???

Although this was a bit of a struggle for me at first, I ended up adoring this book and can't freaking wait to see what happens next